Key result
EMDR treatment significantly reduced psychological symptoms, with mean IES Total scores decreasing from 51 at baseline to 18 at the end of treatment, accompanied by favorable changes in heart rate variability.
Why the study?
Does EMDR treatment improve psychological symptoms and heart rate variability in female outpatients with subthreshold PTSD?
Case Series (n=4)
No
Does EMDR treatment improve psychological symptoms and heart rate variability in female outpatients with subthreshold PTSD?
Absolute Event Rate: 18% vs 51%
p-value: p=≤0.05
EMDR treatment may improve psychological symptoms and heart rate variability in patients with subthreshold PTSD following 'small t' trauma.
May support EMDR for subthreshold PTSD symptoms and HRV; hypothesis-generating and requires controlled trials before practice change.
Elevated psychophysiological parameters and heightened physiological reactivity to trauma-related cues are acquired changes following trauma exposure. Measuring improvement in these variables is an appropriate evaluation of outcome in treatment studies. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a computerized measure of physiological responsivity derived from Holter ECG recording. Four female outpatients with persistent post-traumatic symptoms and personal impairment following “small t” trauma exposure underwent a course of EMDR treatment and were assessed at baseline, end of treatment, day 30 and day 90 of follow-up, using self-report symptom scales and 90-min Holter ECG recordings. Symptom scores decreased between baseline and end of treatment, with improvement maintained at follow-up. Several HRV measures changed favorably in different recording intervals. HRV is a feasible and sensitive method to measure physiological changes in the treatment of individuals distressed by “small t” trauma. Further investigation is advisable to expand these preliminary data.
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Frustaci et al. (2010) conducted a case series in Subthreshold PTSD (n=4). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) vs. Baseline was evaluated on Impact of Event Scale (IES) Total score (p=≤0.05). EMDR treatment significantly reduced psychological symptoms, with mean IES Total scores decreasing from 51 at baseline to 18 at the end of treatment, accompanied by favorable changes in heart rate variability.
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